Barcelona, Spain
September 30, 2026
We had booked a guided tour of Sagrada Família for the afteroon. We were to meet our guide outside a pizza parlor, so we headed there for lunch. You can read about the history of the basílica on Wikipedia. The architect died 100 years ago. Construction was said to have reached the halfway point in 2010. We entered from the Nativity side, which supposedly is about finished. One of the big donors was a big fan of St. Joseph. There is a massive amount of symbolism in all the details. I was glad to have our excellent guide, who told us about many of them.
The shepherds listen to the angels.
The Wise Men bear gifts.
Ceilings are spectacular.
A live modell was used for the design of the crucifix, fortunately without nails.
Signs are in the Catalan language, the official language of Catalonia, with smaller text in Spanish and English.
Sculptures on the opposite façade depict events of Holy Week.
The kiss of Judas
The organ in the main space had 27 stops with two manuals and pedals. A historic 13-stop Cavaillé-Coll organ is in the crypt.
In the evening to end an already amazing day, we went to a concert at the Basílica of Our Lady of Mercy. The chamber group consisted of six string players and a soprano soloist. The most unusual selection was Ravel’s Bolero. It ordinarily features a constant drum pattern and a series of solos by various wind instruments. Hearing it played by a string sextet and no drum was an experience. The musicians were excellent.
